Halsey
Fashion designer Donna Karan, of DKNY fame, had no idea who it was that she’d invited to perform at DKNY’s 30th anniversary: “Who is Halsey? Is that Halsey? I think my granddaughter (knows who she is). I’m sure she’s great.”
Abigail Breslin
The August: Osage County star got a haircut and went blonde ahead of a photo shoot, so when she showed up, her coworkers (including Meryl Streep) thought she was some interloping fan: “They were like, ‘Who’s this random girl crashing our photo shoot today?’”
Kesha
She spotted Jerry Seinfeld on the red carpet at what may have been the height of her fame, and ran up to him. An interviewer’s camera caught the awkward moment when he repeatedly politely declined to hug this random blonde lady. He later said, “When you get to be my age and you’ve done a couple things, you have your own reality. In my reality, I don’t hug a total stranger.”
Harry Styles
Christopher Nolan had no idea who Styles was before he cast him in Dunkirk, other than the fact that “my daughter had talked about him.” In this case, it worked out well for Styles: “I cast Harry because he fit the part wonderfully and truly earned a seat at the table.”
Britney Spears
Spears saw actor Ed O’Neill at the airport and asked to take a picture with him. He didn’t know who she was until she tweeted the photo later, and he says his expression betrays his ignorance: “I mean, look at my face: Do I look like I’m sitting with Britney Spears?”
Andy Cohen
Britney herself pulled the old “have you met my friend?” when she appeared to forget Andy Cohen’s name, or perhaps not know who he was at all. She brought him on stage during a show at Radio City Music Hall, announced, “I think you all know who this is,” and then didn’t elaborate. Cohen later explained, “My take on this is: First of all, why would Britney know my name? She’s Britney, bitch!”
Bella Hadid
This sounds more like a deliberate neg than a case of mistaken identity, but Rami Malek said, “I’m not as in touch with things as I should be. I was dancing in Paris the other night with Bella Hadid and didn’t know who she was.”
Chip and Joanna Gaines
The stars of Fixer Upper were surprised that Martha Stewart “didn’t have the faintest idea who we are, not a single clue.” Stewart said she’d learned that “they have a lovely family and a TV station.”
Miley Cyrus
Honey Boo Boo’s mom, Mama June, was making an appearance on Good Morning America when she was briefly hugged by an enthusiastic stranger. She had no idea that it was Miley Cyrus: “Because it was so fast, I didn’t realize it was her until after she walked by.”
Jennifer Lopez
While giving an interview to a German outlet, Mariah Carey was asked about peer (or rival) Jennifer Lopez. The name apparently didn’t even ring a bell for Carey, who smiled and said, “I don’t know her.”
Jennifer Lopez (Again)
After she blew up, she went back to the Bronx neighborhood where she grew up, and when she met the big Guyanese dude who lives in her old home, the guy said, “You’se who?!”
Drake
When he was at a party at his own house, someone asked, “Who invited you to this party?” Bewildered and insulted, he said, “Myself?”
